Weber gets contract extension

Kansas State athletic director John Currie announced Wednesday that men’s basketball coach Bruce Weber has signed a contract extension through 2018.

The agreement adds one year to Weber’s current contract, securing the Big 12 Coach of the Year’s services through June 30, 2018.

Weber’s annual salary will be $1.75 million for the 2013-14 season, which represents a $250,000 raise, and will increase by $100,000 for each remaining year per his original five-year contract ($1.85 million in 2014-15, $1.95 million in 2015-16, $2.05 million in 2016-17 and $2.15 million in 2017-18).

The extension was unanimously approved by the K-State Athletics, Inc., Board of Directors.

“Our men’s basketball program, from top to bottom, has made continued improvement under Coach Weber and his staff since their arrival last April,” Currie said in a release. “From our first conference championship in 36 seasons to a record number of players on the Big 12 Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll, I am extremely excited about the forward trajectory of our program under his leadership.”

Weber guided K-State to one of its best seasons by a first-year head coach, as the Wildcats posted a 27-8 overall record and captured a share of their first conference title since 1977 with a 14-4 Big 12 mark.

K-State advanced to the NCAA tournament for the 27th time, including a school-record tying fourth consecutive season, and received its third-highest seed — No. 4 in the West Regional — since the NCAA began seeding teams in 1979.

“My family and I couldn’t be more thrilled with our decision to come to K-State,” Weber said. “It has been a magical year in our athletic department that started with the success of our football team under Coach (Bill) Snyder’s leadership and our team was able to seize that momentum and win our first conference title in nearly four decades.

“Whenever you have success, it is a direct reflection of your team and staff and I have said all along we had great chemistry between our players and staff all year. I’m so proud to be associated with this group of players and coaches, and I can’t thank them enough for their hard work and sacrifice this season.”

Weber’s 27 wins in 2012-13 are the second-most in a single season in K-State history and just the fifth 25-win season overall. The 14 conference wins tiesd the 1958-59 team for the most in school history.

For his efforts, Weber was selected as the Big 12 Coach of the Year by the league coaches and The Associated Press, while he was named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) and National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) District Coach of the Year.

It was Weber’s third league coach of the year accolade in his career after winning the honor in the Missouri Valley in 2002-03 and the Big Ten in 2004-05.

Weber was also a finalist for the 2013 Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year and Skip Prosser Man of the Year awards.

The Wildcats return nine lettermen next season, including All-Big 12 selections Angel Rodriguez and Shane Southwell. The team is already receiving mention in several early preseason polls.